


Shades of Purple

by InkedMackenzie



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Bisexual Lance (Voltron), Gay Keith (Voltron), Insecure Lance (Voltron), Keith/Lance (Voltron) Angst, M/M, Pining Keith (Voltron), Pining Lance (Voltron), fluffy klance, klance, klangst, soft klance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-30
Updated: 2017-08-26
Packaged: 2018-12-08 16:41:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,959
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11650578
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InkedMackenzie/pseuds/InkedMackenzie
Summary: After the team defeated Zarkon, not only did Shiro disappear, but a new threat rose in the Galra Empire.The entire team is left distraught but that doesn't keep them from trying to make the best of their time, even if it is a rocky start.Keith got the worst of it but fortunately, he's got a blue paladin willing to become his emotional support. In return, he finds himself doing the same for him.Perhaps their close friendship may be more than they think...





	1. Switching Lions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shiro's gone.  
> They still need to form Voltron.  
> Unfortunately, that means switching their lion's that they have formed such strong bonds with.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For a heads up, this story has an angsty start but I promise this isn't completely angst. I am not sure how long all the major angst will last for though!

Shiro was gone. He was gone. His body was nowhere to be found. He just disappeared after they defeated Zarkon.  
Now, not only did Team Voltron lose an irreplaceable leader, but there was a new threat rising in the Galra Empire.

\---

Keith stared at the black lion with sorrow. He just lost someone so important to him, he just lost his brother. He just lost someone so important yet again in his life.  
Keith knew Shiro had wanted him to pilot the black lion. Although Keith didn’t want to. He didn’t care what Shiro had said… He wasn’t leader material. He wasn’t even close. Unfortunately, the black paladin was only opening up to Keith. Everyone else had tried, attempting to help Keith. Allura was the closest, opening Black’s particle barrier but unfortunately, Black decided to stay unresponsive when she tried to pilot it.

Keith was fighting tears. He didn’t want to replace Shiro. He didn’t want to give up on him because something told him he was still out there somewhere. Keith blinked repeatedly. He couldn’t cry in front of the others. He couldn’t let them see him like that, he refused to let them see him in that vulnerable state.

Then Lance walked up to him. His closest friend so far in team Voltron. The only one who knew how to cheer him up when he was sad and how to calm him down when he was angry. Other than Shiro that was.  
Lance placed a hand on Keith’s shoulder and said very quietly. “It’s going to be okay. We just have to try our best to move on. It is what Shiro would have wanted.”  
Keith shifted towards Lance, shifting his gaze to the ground. He knew Lance was right but in all honesty. He just wanted Shiro back.

“I-I don’t want to lead Voltron,” Keith said quickly. “I can’t lead Voltron. I’m not a leader!” Keith said. It was hard to tell if he was just really stressed or angry. It was probably a mixture of both.  


“Sorry, Keith. Black is only responding to you…” Allura said. “If I can get some kind of bond with it then… I might be able to lead. I know you all thought I was more suited for that role. The lion must be having trouble forming a good bond with me right now. For now, we just have to do this temporarily and wait…” Despair filled her voice. “Hopefully.” She muttered under her breath.  
“So… Who’s gonna pilot red?” Keith asked a little harshly with his temper rising slightly.  
“I guess we are just going to have to see which one she chooses… We already know Coran isn’t suited for her so it has to be one of us… five…” She replied, hesitating to say five.

\---

All the paladins had tried to earn Red’s respect… Except for Lance that is. When Lance tried Red opened up and responded. Lance, the former blue paladin, was now the temporary red paladin.

Allura was forced to try blue. Blue was a little hesitant at first. Her bond was strong and deep with Lance, but Blue realized that this had to happen so she opened up for Allura.

Allura wore a pink paladin suit of armor now. The color coordination was horrible but it had to do seeing as they were missing their beloved black paladin.

This was in no doubt going to be hard to get used to.

They were definitely going to have some trouble mentally and emotionally with this change.

Who would’ve thought that this horrible change would allow two paladins to get closer than ever before?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is just a short prologue to catch you up on exactly what is going on. I promise Klance is going to happen in the future chapters. You just got to be patient because I am trying to develop their relationship naturally in this story!


	2. Comfort

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance decides to go on a walk to clear his mind...

The team had been getting used to all of this. Everyone was exhausted after their entire 3 days without Shiro. It was incredibly hard for everyone.

Lance was helping the team out. He was trying to comfort all of them as best as he could, by that he was trying to lighten the situation with stupid jokes. Which did help a bit when things got a little too stressful. He even got a few giggles out of the stressed out paladins.

He was attempting to cheer everyone up. He was becoming the emotional support for the team but that lead his mind to wander off to the thought, _“If I’m the emotional support, who is mine?”_  
He didn’t think it was important. He would just cover up his feelings with a mask of confidence like he always had. He would hide the stress and the pain from this experience if it meant helping the others. Exactly the same coping method as his insecurities.

\---

He needed to get his mind off of things. He needed a distraction. He decided to walk around the castle.

Although on his little walk he least expected to see a paladin sitting in front of the black lion, curled up in a ball tugging at his hair from stress. He especially didn’t expect it to be Keith of all people.

Keith was sitting down in such a vulnerable state. _Keith._ The guy who always tried to act tough. The one who was scared of his negative emotions.

In all honesty, Lance was tempted to just walk away. Not because he hated Keith but he knew Keith would have hated himself if someone actually saw him like this. Although, Lance let his instincts take over. No way in hell was he going to let one of his friends feel horrible. He had to comfort him. He had to let Keith know that he was there for him.

Lance walked up to Keith quietly but made sure the sound of his steps could be heard, even if they were quiet. He didn’t want to startle the former red paladin.

Keith turned his head around, shifting his gaze to Lance. He looked so vulnerable but so scared and stressed. “Hey… Lance…” Keith choked out of his throat. Clearly terrified that he had been caught.

Lance looked at him sympathetically as he sat down, a large gap was in between the two paladins. Lance decided Keith might want space. Lance looked at the ground before facing Keith.

“Sorry… for uh… Coming here when you were in such a vulnerable state… I just couldn’t stand to see you so stressed out. It looks like you’re going through a lot…”

Lance didn’t even have to let Keith respond because his expression said all. It gave a _“really I didn’t notice”_. Vibe.

“I mean… We’re all going through a lot. This has been really rough. I just… I want you to know that I’m here if you ever want to talk. I will listen. If not-” Lance was really trying to get the words right, knowing how sensitive this was to Keith. He flinched when the new leader interrupted him, half expecting an outburst. Instead, hearing a voice that didn’t even sound like Keith’s. It sounded to broken to be his yet, it was.

“I-I-I can’t lose Shiro again. Not now. He… He was the only person who never gave up on me. I know he is out there we just have to find him but… WHERE? I can’t do this! Not again. I can’t lose anyone else… Lance… I can’t do this. I can’t lead Voltron…”

“Keith…” Lance hesitated. “I’m here for you. We’re all here for you. And Keith… I won’t give up on you… Not anytime soon. Please remember that… I know we had our whole rivalry thing. Well, it was mostly one sided but, I care about you. I- You’re my friend .”

“How?” Keith asked, staring right at Lance’s eyes. “How are you dealing with this so well? Do you not care about him, Lance? Do you not care that we just lost a vital part of our team, a FRIEND?” Keith’s temper was rising fast. “HOW ARE YOU SO CALM ABOUT ALL OF THIS? HOW ARE YOU MAKING JOKES AROUND THE OTHERS KNOWING THAT EVERYTHING IS GOING WRONG? YOU DON’T CARE DO YOU?! IT SEEMS LIKE YOU HAVEN’T CARED FOR THE PAST FEW DAYS.”

Lance froze. He never thought hiding his emotions would ever come out that way. Now that he thought about it, it really did look like he didn’t care. As if he wasn’t affected by this loss.

Keith froze as well, terrified that Lance hadn’t responded. Why had he said that? Lance was trying to help and he just yelled at him. He had been bottling those thoughts up for the past few days and he just let it spew when he heard Lance say those things.

“Don’t care? DON’T-” Lance took a breath trying to calm down his anger. Arguing with Keith wouldn’t make this any better at all. It would make Keith feel worse. “Of course I care... This is horrifying for me. I don’t know what we’re supposed to do. That’s why I’m here. I was walking around the castle. I was trying to ease my mind and forget for a few moments.”

“S-sorry for blowing up, I didn’t mean-”

“It’s fine. I kind of deserve it. I’m just trying to lighten the situation and I guess I didn’t realize how careless that may make me look. Sorry I have a problem with hiding that kind of stuff...”

“You were just trying to cope by bottling up your emotions like me… Weren’t you?”

Lance nodded. That was the closest he had ever gone to opening up to someone.

They both sat in silence. Not knowing what else to say. But the silence was broken after what was only a few minutes but seemed like hours.

“Thanks… No one ever tries to comfort me, except Shiro… It’s nice to be able to talk to someone. And to know that they’re there for you.”

“No need to thank me… But if you ever want to talk about anything. I’m here. I’ll _always_ be here to talk to. I’ll gladly help in any way I can.”

“That means a lot to me, Lance. You’re a great friend.”

Keith smiled after he said that. He smiled. Lance felt a feeling of success when he smiled. He had done his job. He had cheered Keith up. Even if it was a horrible at job at doing so, which Lance had told himself it was, Keith was still happy that he attempted to help and had good intents.

Lance got up and started walking away. Keith watching his exit. Lance halted in his steps while looking over his shoulder to say, “Also, we are going to find Shiro. I promise.”

_That was a promise Lance was going to keep._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the short chapter.  
> Also... Dialogue is definitely one of my weaker points in writing so I am very sorry for that.  
> But it looks like we got red and blue forming a more emotionally connected friendship...
> 
> Anyway, hope you enjoyed this sloppily written chapter...


	3. Update...

So...  
I haven't updated this fic in a while.  
I guess I just haven't had much motivation?

I am not continuing this. At least. Not this version.

After I watched Season 3, I got a lot of ideas that technically added to this fic, but it also changed a lot of the previous plot points.

I am going to be working on another fic. It is probably going to be called "Shades of Purple". Because of the ending, as well as the climax, are both the same. Just, the points that lead up to the climax and the end are very different.

So in other words... I have changed a lot of this story to the point where the first two chapters I have written don't make sense.

I am not sure if I am going to just delete the first two chapters and rewrite them or if I am going to start a completely different fic.

I still have some things to figure out with the plot and stuff, but once I figure it out and I post the first chapter I will update you guys!

Sorry if this upsets you...

**Author's Note:**

> Tumblr: https://inkedmackenzie.tumblr.com/


End file.
